The princess and the pauper
by delphin4ik
Summary: RE-POSTED. Lily&Bart. Since the first time they met, Lillian Rhodes Van der Woodsen had been his dream, his angel, his goodness, his aim. For him, this meeting was the beginning. For her it was nothing.


**The princess and the pauper**

**Summary **One-shot featuring Barts' POV on his and Lily relations through the years, kind of AU

**Disclaimer:** I don't own characters or anything else  
**A/N** I'm reposting this story with some revisions. Thanking my beta PhoenixFyre09 for her awesome work

Take place during 1.18

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Since the first time they met, Lillian Rhodes Van der Woodsen had been his dream, his angel, his goodness, his aim. For him, this meeting was the beginning. For her it was nothing. He had always remembered. She, no doubt, forgot a second after. Even now, years later, he could easily describe the goldenhaired angel in a light blue dress who smiled to a poor boy as he polished her father's boots in the center of New York. She had given him her pocket money. She smiled and for that second, he believed in angels; the ones the priest talked about. She smiled – and a timid smile touched his lips, as he continued to polish. She gave him 50 dollars, touching his dirty hand with her soft and clean fingers. He hated people who gave him money out of pity, but this girl was different. She still smiled. Her father stood up, taking her in his hands, and said, "I'm proud of you, Lily Rhodes" – and gave the boy another 50 dollars. They left soon after. Soon the handsome man in his gray suit, holding his 5years old princess (who looked over his shoulder and smiled to a poor shoeshine boy) sat in cab. Lily Rhodes, the boy repeated noiselessly. His princess.

The princess and the pauper. The story which might have a good ending in fairytales, but ten years old Bart Bass certainly knew that his life was far away from a fairytale. And it was that day that Bart Bass stopped being one of shoeshine boys on the New York streets, and started to become powerful and respectable Bartholomew Bass, millionaire and womanizer.

When all those children from UES twisted their mouths because of Brooklyn and Serena's date, he said nothing, as the world he'd been born in was far away from calm and presentable Brooklyn. The New York of his childhood was full of crimes, violence, and murders. There were fires in the night, gangs and coevals killed at the age of twelve and imprisoned at the age of fourteen. In his childhood, a private school on the other side of the river was as far

away as a European crown.

He escaped, overcame. He made himself to forget his past, fighting for his future. One hundred dollars was good money, and he used them to pay off his mother so he could have time to study hard. He understood that the only way to reach his angel was to become her equal.

_However, he still couldn't believe that was happening. Even now, standing__ next to her in front of the priest, holding her hand in his, he peered at her smiling face uncertainly. Scared that she would change her mind and would run away, forgetting about her morning promise._

When they met the next time, she was seventeen, a charming debutante in blue dress – and he, a young man, earned his first million. Tenderness, enthusiasm, revolt were against rush, energy, cruelty. She didn't notice him of course she didn't recognize him. She shook hands with her father's new business partner, then ran to her friends. They had five years in between; in reality they had a whole lifetime. "New money" he heard the whispers followed him in high society receptions, where he still wasn't welcomed. His first million was nothing comparing with their "oldmoney" multimillions fortunes. Bart paid no attention, getting used through his ages as a granted student in private school and university. There he put aside entertainments for sacrificing to his goodness.

Opposite to his son, who as a child always fought with dance teacher, Bart studied to dance when he was an adult. And so innate talent saved him from disgrace in field where others were trained in years. Their first dance was short and absolutely decent, but it gave him a few moments alone with her. He was taken aback; didn't know what to say, so they spoke only a few senseless words. He inhaled seabreeze from her skin and he was afraid of touching her hand . She thanked him and went away – that time for ages.

He found about the offstage runaway with a rockband accidentally. An affair with musician, who despite his fame, was worth less then Bart Bass. He stepped back, allowing his dream to fade and giving his angel a chance to live freely. Because he knew since childhood that they may get their happily ever after only in fairytale, and Bart didn't believe in fairytales. There were a lot of girls willing to entertain him in days and in nights. They disappeared from his life the same way they appeared. With no memories left, just bodies.

The next time they met was at her engagement party. He looked at Lily and saw the freespirit angel as he remembered her. She thanked him for his congratulations with a polite society smile. She nodded and avoided the glance of her groom. Old money married old money. After all, Lillian Van der Woodsen sounded much more prestigious than Lillian Humphrey… or Bass.

A few months later he married Misty a delicate beauty with wealthy portion and many contacts. Of course she was from oldmoney. She was in love with him for short time. The society expected him to marry someone. For him, their marriage was just a simple deal. Her father made it clear that in the case of a childless marriage, Bart would gain nothing. But in case of divorce… well, they were business people and business was just a business, no emotions should be included. The old man needed an heir, which was not a happily ever after for his daughter. Bart's son and Lily's daughter were born with a few months difference, entered the same kindergarden, and easily became friends. His divorce clashed with her first.

They met during society events. Time after time he was a guest at her weddings, not believing that one may occur where he'd be a groom. He was surrounded by young, beautiful, grasping women – he used them and threw away without thinking back. He crammed all the rules high society dictated, and he followed them at ease as though he learned them at his mother's knee. His son, born in money and wealth, broke those rules. Bart never admitted but he didn't place the blame on Charles. On the contrary, he was proud and considered Charles to have a right to such behavior; for taking everything from the life he led. He had the right for both of them: the father and the son. One day it would finish. His son would grow up and would accept the implanted rules he knew well. Oh, yes. Charles knew how to behave and to be "an official and gentleman", coz one could easily break the rules only if he knew them thoroughly. Bart loved his son, and blamed himself only for one thing – he'd never showed his love and he'd not taught Charles to love in a fear that his son would be tramped in love the same way Bart was. Bass men fell in love once in life – till the death. It scared him, as such an affection for a woman could either sway the destinies and create (as his meeting with Lily) or destroy a person and their world. It was too late now. Of course, the parents didn't know, but in fact everyone was aware of Charles and Blair. Secretly watching his son, Bart saw it – he was in love, he loved. Now that Lily was finally his, he would think how to save his son from the love for Blair… at least for a while.

_Meanwhile, kissing his fiancé, Bart thanked God for giving him one of His__ angels, who also deserved the happiness._

When they started dating, he couldn't believe that the fairytale was just about to turn into reality. He chickened out and returned to his old way with silly chicks and meaningless onenight stands. He feared he would hurt her, or she would hurt him and everything would finish as it always finished with her – the breakup. She forgave, she fought, but he didn't know what was the reason. Him or just his money. It was hard to believe that years later, Lily had just looked at him differently and suddenly fell in love. Only when she took Rufus out of the memory bin, Bart realized what he really was afraid of to lose her, for once and forever. He kept an engagement ring in his pocket, but he wasn't brave enough to ask her to marry him as he was afraid she would refuse. He kissed her and saw her soul begin to slip through. Realizing that he had nothing to lose, he asked her – and he was ready to hug the world when she answered "Yes." Laying next to her in their bed, he watched her sleeping, caught her sleepy morning smiles and touched her with his kisses. She laughed and snuggled up, hiding her always cold hands in his hot ones and warming up with his breath.

He never told her about their first meeting, saving only for himself the image of goldenhaired girl. And he dreamt secretly that one day she would give him his own golden girl. They didn't discuss that yet… later, later… Now they had the whole life to be happy.

His heart stopped beating when she disappeared the night before the wedding, so that guard's words couldn't break it – she was with Rufus. It didn't matter. Even if the jealousy bit him furiously in head, he gave her the right to choose. Even wanting her only for himself, he more so wanted her to be happy. She chose – and his heart started to beat again, thumping the joyful rhythm. "I love you."

What had his son just said? "In face of true love…" True, internal, carried through whole life, from first sight till the last sigh… ChinChin

Yes, Bart didn't believe in fairytales, but one was born to turn a fairytale into reality. And in this reality the princess and the pauper had their happily ever after.


End file.
